Beware the empty spaces
by Austen01
Summary: Post 3x11 fic. Regina, Snow, Charming and the gang are back in fairytale land, fighting a war against the Wicked Witch. Emma and Henry are living their new life in New York. This is a re-imagining of how they are all reunited.
1. Chapter 1

**These characters don't belong to me. If they did, they might not be so frowny all the time. **

**A/N. This story is set after 3x11 and will be AU from that point on. Most of the story was mapped out before the mid-season premiere and will only incorporate a few aspects of the story from the show.**

** It will be a slow burn SQ fic. Probably very slow. :) Rated M for later chapters, and some bad language.**

**This story is also unbetaed, and I'm English, so there might be few spelling differences in there for some people. If anyone wants to volunteer for the betas job, I would be very grateful. Drop me a PM. **

...

**Chapter One**

She waited patiently; a picture of poise and elegance in a grand room that had once been designed for a queen. The distant drum of booted feet in the corridor getting steadily louder as they hastened towards her, finally coming to bring the news she had been waiting for; news that would change everything. This moment had been a long time coming. Too long. Now, everything she had been working for, was finally falling in to place.

She learned long ago that vengeance was something to be savoured; a bitter fruit that only sweetened with time. So...there would be no swift, merciful blow to settle the score. No, she would take. Inch by sickening inch, until there was nothing left but the scorched earth and the broken remains of her enemies. Oh, she would take everything. They thought that this had been a war? The fools. They had _no_ idea what was coming.

These thoughts had soothed her many times before, and now as the footsteps came ever closer she let the comfort they offered wash over her one last time. She let the anger build and contract into its purest form, felt it seep into her skin, deep into her bones, until it was the very air she breathed.

She was vengeance.

He was here now...it was beginning.

The elaborately uniformed soldier entered the room and bowed deeply at the waist, holding the position until she commanded him to rise with a flick of her wrist.

"Come." She leaned forward in her chair, fingers clutching tightly to the ornately scrolled arms in anticipation. "Well?"

"The pirate is gone, Mistress," he said proudly, satisfied to be one bringing her the news he knew she so feverishly desired.

She sighed happily, stretching languidly back into the cushions. "He took it."

It wasn't a question.

"Yes..." he hesitated, uncertain at first that he should continue, but his Mistress seemed hungry for details. "...he didn't even ask where it came from."

"Of course he didn't," she smiled indulgently. "People are easily blinded when you offer them what their heart desires."

"But, Mistress...what if he fails?" He tilted his head in deference, still mindful of his place.

She closed her eyes and laughed then, a slow sinewy rasp that cut through the guard without warning, filling him full of desire to hear it over and over again.

Desire to please her.

He felt the change before it happened, the familiar burning in his blood as the hair sprang from the skin on the backs of his hands and knew, without question, that his eyes would have turned a deep, and vibrant red.

He had lost control of himself and she would be displeased. He was hers to command. Hers alone.

He breathed in deeply; long, ragged gasps that pushed his chest against his armor until it hurt. Until the hair receded back under his flesh.

His Mistress would say that the pain is good. Pain brings clarity.

She is always right.

"Oh, you underestimate the lengths a desperate man will go to to get what he wants." The woman stood, unaware of his contemplations, smoothed her hands over her long black skirt and strode over to the lavish silver mirror that decorated the far wall.

The image was the same as it always was. Hope of something different died many moons ago now. Too many to count.

"Desperate? Desperate for what?" He shuffled further into the room, closer to her than he had ever been before.

"To finally be the hero, of course," she explained with exaggerated patience, teasing a lock of curled red hair perfectly into position. "Everyone believes they are the hero of their own story; even the villains. It makes them all so...deliciously predictable."

"Not you, Mistress," he offered quickly, all too eager to please.

"No, I'm something else entirely," she smiled coldly at her own reflection, gently trailing the backs of her fingers across the green hue of her cheek. "Something...wicked."

...

"Regina!" Snow White burst through the heavy wooden door to the library, eyes searching for the woman she knew would be in here. She always was lately.

The twelve months since their return to the enchanted forest had been anything but quiet. They had come back to a land that had been ruthlessly claimed in their absence; taken by a new and powerful force, whose motivations, even now, were still largely unknown to them.

They had been plunged straight into a war they were woefully unprepared for and had spent the first few months on the run, hiding from an army that seemed infinite in numbers, and with what seemed only one desire; to destroy them all. And yet, in the fiercest battle, when it seemed that all hope was gone and they should have been overrun, the enemy had inexplicably retreated. To this day, the only explanation Snow could think of...was that 'She' was toying with them. Like a cat with a mouse.

The people, without any real means to defend themselves, had fallen quickly before their return; though small bands of resistance slowly made their way to them, once the word of their return had spread, they were still too few, too weary, to offer any real hope of victory. They were, at best, delaying the inevitable.

For the last few months they had retreated, found a large abandoned house to base themselves in, and were concentrating on small raiding parties hidden strategically throughout the kingdom that could hit and run. Snow had been calling on all the guerrilla tactics she could think of that had worked well for them in another lifetime here.

Neal had quickly attached himself to Robin Hood's band of outlaws when they took to the forests, gathering intelligence and supplies.

Regina was as powerful as always. Offering them the protection of magic, shoring up the holes in their defences whenever they arose.

And Hook... ...well Hook, was the reason she was here.

"Do come in," Regina muttered tightly from her seat without looking up, her fingers grasping for the few sheets of paper that fluttered towards the edge of the table in the draft from the open door.

"Something you needed?" Regina asked impatiently when Snow merely stood at the entrance, quietly taking in the chaos of the normally pristine room.

Books had been pulled from their usual places on the shelves and lay strewn, haphazardly, across several of the tables. Maps of the enchanted forest, marked carefully with what seemed to be locations of the most recent attacks against them, were pinned along two of the walls. The intricate tapestries that used to hang in their place tossed carelessly aside in a heap on the floor.

Regina had been busy it seemed.

"What is all this?" Snow wandered over to the maps, tracing her fingers over the markings, automatically trying to discern any visible pattern to the raids.

"Research," Regina sighed irritably. "Is that all you came for, dear, to check if I'm doing my homework? Or was there some other reason you came barreling through the door so urgently?" Regina held up one finger when Snow opened her mouth to reply. "Wait, don't tell me...you lost sight of your beloved for more than a few seconds and you're launching a heroic quest?"

Snow gritted her teeth against a retort and let the comment slide. The news she came with was too important.

"It's Hook. He's missing..." she began, hoping to get a little of her story out before Regina shot her down.

It wasn't to be.

Regina scoffed, turning her attention back to the scroll in front of her. "Missing as in drunk, face down in a ditch somewhere? Or something else?"

"Missing as in vanished, Regina." Snow sighed wearily, unwilling to be drawn in to one of Regina's games. The woman knew exactly how to push Snow's buttons; she always had.

"While you may find it entertaining to play hide and seek with the pirate..." Regina looked up and gestured to the pile of books in front of her. "...as you can see, I'm rather busy."

"Regina! You need to listen." Snow barked sharply, quickly tiring of the softly, softly approach she had intended to take.

Snow crossed the room swiftly, planting herself in front of Regina and swiping the paper from the seated woman's hands, placing it just out of reach so that she had her full attention.

"Hook _is_ missing," Snow stressed each word carefully, she was in no mood to be misunderstood. "He said that he had a lead on something that could finally give us the edge; that he just needed a day or two to flesh it out. That was a week ago. There's been no word from him since, and we have scouts covering every inch of those woods, Regina, there's absolutely no trace." Snow ran out of steam and threw up her hands in exasperation. "He's just...gone."

"What kind of lead?" Regina zeroed in on what she considered the most important piece of information. She may never have fully warmed to the man, but if he had found a way of bringing them victory, she would throw him a Goddamned parade. Pirate themed.

"He didn't say." Snow offered reluctantly, anticipating Regina's response.

Regina narrowed her eyes. "And you didn't think to _ask_?"

"Of course I asked!" Snow snapped. "Despite what you might think, I'm not an idiot, Regina."

When all Regina offered in reply was a perfectly arched eyebrow, Snow sighed and shook her head. "I asked...but he wouldn't say."

"It's entirely possible that the idiot went and got himself captured, I suppose," Regina conceded eventually with a frown. What the hell had Hook gotten himself into?

"Normally I might agree, but like I said, we have people watching. If he'd been taken, we would know," Snow countered reasonably.

"Well, what _do_ we know, exactly?" Regina closed her eyes and rubbed wearily at her temple. It seemed that she was destined to have that headache she had felt throbbing in the background for most of the morning after all.

Snow blinked, finally taking in the exhaustion on the older woman's face, the dark smudges painted beneath her brown eyes. How long was it that Regina had been cooped up in this room for? They were all pushing themselves too hard, trying to get ahead of whatever attack was coming next, but Snow wondered how it had escaped her notice that Regina had simply stopped sleeping. She would suggest that her former stepmother got some rest, but she knew exactly what answer she could expect in return. Although it was Snow's first reaction to seeing someone in distress she knew that Regina wouldn't want her to be gracious, to offer her comfort. Regina needed to play her part in this war. Needed it perhaps more than any of them. Snow wouldn't be the one to deny her that.

"Hook was last seen in a tavern close to the northern border," Snow said directly.

Regina laughed openly for the first time in weeks. "Oh, well let's alert the media, shall we?" she mocked. "I can see the headlines now, _'Drunken man seen in tavern!'_ It's the story of the century." She fixed Snow with a steely glare. "Did you come here just to waste my time, Snow? Because in case you haven't noticed we are fighting a war!" She stood briskly, moving to the position Snow herself had occupied in front of the maps and motioning to the areas circled in red. "Or should I say, _losing_ a war."

Snow closed her eyes, knowing full well that those marks represented their heaviest losses to date. She could picture too easily the faces of their friends, new and old, that had fallen in each skirmish.

"I don't have time to babysit a brooding, petulant drunk!" Regina pushed both hands onto her hips, her pose decidedly mayoral.

"Regina, please." Snow pleaded, leaning both hands on the dark wooden table in front of her. "I know...I know how it sounds. But something _has_ happened to him. I can feel it."

"Lord, save me from more of the Charming family's _gut_ feelings," Regina grumbled, dropping her hands. Her eyes flew up to meet Snow's when she heard a startled gasp come from the smaller woman and she realised what she had said.

"Regina..."

"I..I didn't mean..." Regina stumbled awkwardly over the words. "I wasn't...I wasn't trying to be cruel."

"I know, Regina." Snow smiled sadly, and she meant it. Regina had been given plenty of opportunities over the last year to rub salt in Snow's wounds...they both had. The fact was, they simply didn't talk about who they had left behind. What they had lost. It had been part of the tenuous truce that had existed between them all these months.

Regina found that she didn't like the wounded look that settled across Snow's delicate features, but what she hated even more, what really twisted her stomach, was that she knew without doubt, that the look had been reflected on her own face for the smaller woman to see as well.

This uncertainty was new. Regina had spent the last ten years absolutely sure about what she wanted from life.

Henry.

Nothing else mattered. And now the only anchor that she had found was in doing what she believed Henry would wish for her to do. Becoming the person he believed she could be. It wasn't much, she admitted, but it was something to cling to in her darker moments.

When they had returned to the enchanted forest they had been thrown headlong into a war that left no room for careless bouts of emotion. She could, she supposed, let herself fall under the weight of pain left behind in her sacrifice. But then, she never had been one to bow gracefully to anything.

Their opponent was ruthless, crazed, hell bent on...well they didn't actually know what exactly, but 'She' would stop at nothing to get it. And that, at least was a sentiment that Regina understood better than anyone.

"He was last seen talking to a man. A man who gave Hook something." Snow continued after a few painful moments of silence.

Regina cleared her throat, happy to be back on more neutral ground. "What man?"

"That's just it...no one knows. I spoke to the tavern owner and several of his regulars, no one even saw his face."

"Maybe he doesn't _want_ to be found," Regina's eyes flashed dangerously as an idea formed in her head. "If he wasn't taken, perhaps he went willingly."

"Regina..."

Regina dismissed Snow with a wave of her hand as she began to pace back and forth. "We have to be realistic. He knows the whereabouts of our safe houses, our weapons. He's had access to our plans, you have considered that?"

"Hook may have his faults, but he's fought by our side these past six months, Regina." Snow said calmly, trying to reassure the increasingly agitated woman before her. "He won't betray us."

"Oh, Snow!" Regina laughed sardonically. "Your infinite faith in people never ceases to both amaze and irritate me."

"I have _faith_ that there isn't always an ulterior motive to every good deed."

"Then you're still a fool." Regina snapped, her voice hard. "After all this time, have you learned nothing?"

"I have learned that no matter what, people can change. For the right reason, they can." Snow watched Regina, weighing her next words carefully. She knew that Regina hadn't meant to refer to Emma earlier. And she wanted to offer her the same consideration now, but these were desperate times. "Do you know who _really_ taught me that, Regina?" she asked softly.

Regina's eyes widened as she caught on to the smaller woman's meaning. "Henry." She whispered, her voice catching on his name.

Snow smiled widely. "Henry," she breathed. "Just look at us, Regina. If I had told you a year ago that we would be working side by side like this, what would you have said?"

Regina arched one eyebrow carefully, her prickly armor fully back in place. "That depends, were there any sharp objects nearby?"

Snow laughed. "I should have expected that answer, I guess. And yet, here we are."

"Yes. So it would seem." Regina allowed with a tilt of head. "However, lets not get too carried away just yet, dear. Perhaps, maybe the best we can hope for is that I haven't killed you in your sleep...yet."

Snow's mouth curled up in a half grin. "I can _hope _for more that, Regina. I always have."

"Yes, well..." Regina's body stiffened at Snow's words. She'd had just about all the touchy feely nonsense she could stand for one day. "What do you plan to do? About the pirate?"

Snow sighed. "I have no idea."

"Give me the rest of the day," Regina walked back to the table and began to gather up her papers. "at first light we can travel to where he was last seen. If magic was used in his disappearance...I'll be able to tell."

"Thank you," Snow said sincerely, letting out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.

Regina merely nodded her head once and Snow knew that was all the acknowledgement she could expect. This was the most personal conversation they had had since their return, Regina was sure to be retreating back behind her carefully constructed walls by now.

Snow headed towards the door, intent on finding her husband, who with any luck should be returning from his reconnaissance mission soon. "Oh, and Regina?" she called over her shoulder as she pulled it open.

"Hmm?" The older woman didn't even look up.

"I sleep with a dagger."

Regina's throaty chuckle warmed her more than she cared to admit as she tugged the door closed with a gentle click.

...

"Snow." Charming smiled and greeted his wife in the corridor with a soft kiss to her forehead.

She smiled warmly at the gesture, feeling some of the weight the past few days lighten with his presence. She cupped his cheek gently to hers for a second before releasing him.

"What news from the border?" she asked, tucking her arm through his as she turned them in the direction of the kitchens.

Charming sighed and curled his hand over the one Snow threaded around his elbow.

"Nothing new, I'm afraid. There's still no sign of him," he replied, wishing he had better news.

"Something's wrong. I know it."

"Did you talk to Regina?" he asked. "What did she say?"

"It took a while, but I think I finally got her to believe that something serious must have happened. She said she would help." Snow walked in step with Charming, her mind wandering back to the pain she had seen in Regina's eyes when they had discussed Henry.

He looked down at her as they walked, taking in the two small frown lines that appeared above Snow's nose. "Did she insult you?"

"It's Regina. She's said far worse." Snow shrugged, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Yesterday, in fact."

Charming's step faltered a little, as if he was contemplating heading back to the library to offer Regina a piece of his mind. Snow merely tightened her hand over his arm in reflex, pulling him further away. Verbal confrontations with Regina rarely ended in his favor, but she still loved that he was always so willing to stand up for her.

Snow smiled lovingly up at her husband. "Come on, you must be hungry."


	2. Chapter 2

**These characters still don't belong to me. Just playing with them.**

**A/N A massive thank you to Erin and Gilda for their excellent (and damn fast!) Beta work on this chapter! Any mistakes left in are all my own. :)**

**Chapter 2**

**New York**

Emma watched her son water the plants as she gently stirred the eggs on the stove. This was her favorite time of the day. It was comfortable. It was...the way it had always been. Just the two of them against the world. They had done this hundreds of times before; their morning dance. Henry watered the plants. Emma cooked. They set the table with a practiced ease and then both took their seats. A quiet moment between the two of them before the chaos of another day.

"Mom, you forgot something." Henry tapped the side of his cup expectantly.

"Right, cinnamon." Emma nodded, flitting her hand across Henry's shoulders as she passed by. "There you go." She leaned over Henry's shoulder and set the shaker down beside him.

She took her place at the table and lifted her cup to touch briefly against his; their morning rituals complete.

The loud banging on their apartment door broke through the relaxed atmosphere, setting Emma immediately on edge.

"Someone coming over?" Henry glanced up from his breakfast, curiously.

The pounding on the door started up again, more insistently and Emma's frown deepened.

"No," she replied carefully, her senses on full alert. "Henry, wait here."

Emma headed for the door, flicking the music off as she passed by the speaker.

It was unlikely that an ex-con she busted for skipping out on their bail had found her here; she always took precautions to protect Henry, but there was always a chance. She was starting to regret staying in her PJ's this morning.

The man at the door wasn't what Emma was expecting. Nothing about him, from his high collared, leather tunic to his dark, designer stubble screamed ex-con hell bent on revenge. He looked more like something from one of Henry's video games.

Or maybe the circus was in town.

"Swan," the stranger breathed, looking relieved. "At last.."

Emma's hand shot up reflexively, holding him back when he looked to step forward into the apartment. "Whoa..do I know you?" she demanded, her body moving to block the doorway.

"I need your help. Something's happened, something terrible. Your family is in trouble," he replied earnestly.

Emma held her position, her fingers tightening on the door. "My family's right here. Who are you?"

This was his chance. If he could just prove to her who she was, what she meant to him, it would all be okay. They could return to the enchanted forest together. Save everyone...together.

"An old friend. Look I know you can't remember me, but...I can make you." Hook reached for her then, one hand reaching up to grasp at the back of her head, pulling her towards him as their lips met.

Emma reacted quickly, bringing her knee up until it collided with him solidly. She used the momentum to shove him forcefully out of the apartment until his back hit the far wall of the hallway with a satisfying thud.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked shakily, bracing both hands on the door as she tried to stop her heart pounding erratically in her chest.

Hook winced, clutching himself protectively. "A long shot. I had to try. I was hoping you felt as I did," he wheezed, suddenly seeing stars.

"All you're gonna feel is the handcuffs when I call the cops." Emma said firmly, one hand already pulling the door closed.

Hook pushed himself away from the wall, stepping towards the doorway once more. "Look I know this seems crazy, but have to listen to me. You have to rememb..."

Emma swung the door shut on the remainder of his sentence, she had heard more than enough already.

_'Fucking crazy!'_ she thought as she headed back down the hallway.

"Who was that?" Henry asked, looking back over his shoulder as his Mom came back in.

"No idea. Someone must have left the door open downstairs." Emma said as calmly as she could, still a little out of breath.

Emma strode purposefully back to her seat, determined not to let Henry see anything was wrong. "Come on, let's eat."

...

Emma walked out of her building to go to work, eyes scanning the street like she always did. Only this time she was looking for something in particular.

Someone in particular.

When there was no sign of the stranger from earlier she released a long, slow breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. He had her rattled and she didn't like it one little bit.

This was her home. A safe place for her and for Henry. She wasn't about to let a man who still liked to play dress up ruin that for her.

"Swan."

Emma spun around in surprise, disturbed that she had let her guard down so completely. "Jesus! What are you, part ninja?" She narrowed her eyes when she realized it was the same guy from the apartment.

"I don't understand the reference." Hook shrugged casually.

"Of course you don't." Emma muttered, rolling her eyes. "Look, I thought I was pretty clear this morning." She let her eyes drift swiftly down his body, her meaning obvious.

Hook coughed, his hand automatically reaching to protect himself once more. "Right. Got it. No funny business."

"Good. Then we understand each other." Emma nodded firmly and moved to step around him on the sidewalk.

Hook stepped in front of her, blocking her path and raising his hands submissively. The last thing he wanted was for her to start swinging her knees around again. "Alas, I'm afraid we do still have business, Swan."

"Okay, here's the thing..." Emma sighed, mentally counting to ten. "I don't have time for your particular brand of crazy this morning, okay? Or _any_ morning for that matter. Now, you need to walk away...and stay away. Is that clear enough for you, matey?"

"I can't do that." Hook argued patiently. "Your parents are in grave danger."

"_What_ are you talking about?" Emma replied, exasperated. She hadn't had nearly enough coffee yet for this kind of crap.

"My name is Killian Jones. You call me Hook." He rapped his knuckles on his false hand, smiling slightly at how Emma's eyes widened at the resulting hollow sound. "I came to find you, to warn you, on behalf of your family...they need you."

"I don't call you anything. Well, that's not entirely true...I've got a few names I can think of." Emma said dryly. "And anyway, now I know you got the wrong person; I don't have any parents."

"But you do. You just don't remember them."

"That's enough..."

"Mom?" Henry called from the entrance to their apartment building.

"Dammit!" Emma swore under her breath. She had let the guy distract her with his crazy talk and now it was time for Henry to leave for school. She didn't want this lunatic anywhere near her son.

Henry walked over to them, hitching his backpack higher onto his shoulder as he went. "What's going on?" he asked, taking in the tension in his mothers shoulders and the way she stepped defensively between him and the oddly dressed stranger she had been talking to. He wondered if this was the same someone who had come to their place earlier and had gotten her so on edge. Judging by the daggers she was throwing this guy, he would say that it was a safe bet that it was.

"Nothing." Emma said firmly, fixing Hook with a steely glare.

"Swan..."

"It's nothing." Emma gripped Henry's shoulders with both hands, turning him away and giving him a gentle shove to start him walking.

Emma took a step towards Hook. "Stay. away. from. me." she pronounced each word carefully, her eyes never leaving his, before turning on her heel and heading off after Henry.

Hook scrubbed his hand over his chin as he watched her go. "That went well, I think."

...

"My Mom told you to stay away from us." Henry said, eyeing the stranger who stood down the block from his school warily.

Hook held up his hands placidly. "Actually, I do believe she said to stay away from _her_. In which case, I am not breaking any rules."

Henry scoffed. He knew all about the gray areas around breaking rules. "What do you want?" he tugged his backpack up and carried on walking, rolling his eyes when the man simply fell into step beside him.

Hook grinned at the gesture; the boy looked so much like his mother. "All I require...is a moment of your time."

"I have to get home," Henry said, increasing his pace and putting some distance between them.

"Do you feel like you belong here, Henry?" Hook called out to Henry's back as he strode off in front. "This place, this reality...in your heart of hearts, can you honestly tell me that it feels right?" He smiled slyly when he saw the boys steps falter at the words. "Because, if you can, I will leave now and never trouble you or your mother again. I give you my word."

Henry turned and eyed Hook carefully, looking for any sign of deception. "Your word?"

"As a man of honor," Hook swore earnestly, lifting his hand to his heart.

Henry wasn't an idiot; he knew that this guy was using him to get to his Mom. But, there was something...just a little something, pushing him to believe him. If his Mom had taught him anything, it was to trust his gut.

"Okay," he said, walking over to Hook. "Where do we start?"

Hook slung his good arm over Henry's shoulder. "Tell me, Henry...what do you know of fairytales?"

...

Henry settled down onto the bench in a remote corner of the park and pulled out a leftover sandwich from his lunch. "So what's with the clothes?" he asked around a mouthful of turkey, looking Hook up and down.

Hook leaned against the back of the bench. "What do you mean?" He glanced down at himself and smoothed his hand over the front of his tunic.

"You kinda look like one of the guys my Mom tells me not to talk to on the Subway." Henry shrugged. "Is that what Prince's wear in the Enchanted Forest?"

"I am _not_ a prince!" Hook said fiercely, straightening up. "I'm a pirate. Do I look all frilly and 'may I have this dance' to you, lad?"

"I dunno." Henry shrugged again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "How does that look?"

"Ask your grandfather." Hook muttered sourly.

Henry frowned, and opened his mouth to ask more questions but was cut short by a muffled ringing coming from his coat pocket.

"It's my Mom." Henry held up the phone chirping in his hand.

"Good. Answer it, lad," Hook urged eagerly.

"Hi, Mom," he said, wincing at the long sigh of relief from the other end of the line.

"Henry, thank God! Where are you? Mrs. Q called, she said you didn't come home after school." Emma said, her words coming out clipped and frantic.

"Um, here's the thing..." Henry said, ignoring the soft grunt from his Mom at the use of her favorite phrase. "That guy from this morning, he was waiting for me outside of school."

"_What_?!" Emma's panic increased. She had been foolishly clinging to the hope that Henry had been hanging out with a friend, but she knew deep down that it was too big of a coincidence. Henry always came straight home after school. She should have taken more precautions, should have picked Henry up from school herself.

"Mom! It's okay." Henry said quickly, interrupting her internal recriminations. "He just wanted to talk."

"He just wanted to talk?" Emma repeated slowly, not liking where this was heading. "So you _went_ with him?!"

Henry pulled the phone away from his ear to protect it from the hi-pitched screech that his Mom's voice had gone into.

"He's not that weird. Once you get over the hand thing." he offered tentatively after a moment.

Emma pulled the phone from her ear and rested it against her forehead as she breathed in slowly through her nose in an effort to try and calm herself. Losing it with Henry was not the way to go here. She tugged the phone back to her ear. "Henry, for all we know the guy chewed off his own hand because the little voices in his head told him to," she said as patiently as she could. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"You're saying he's crazy."

"Yeah, kid, that's exactly what I'm saying." Emma confirmed. "So I need you to get as far away from him as you can."

"Err...I'm not sure I can do that right now, Mom." Henry hedged, looking over at Hook who offered him a thumbs up.

"Henry? What's going on?" Emma's panic resurfaced. "Did he hurt you?"

Hook reached over and took the phone from Henry's hand. "I'm afraid that's all we have time for at the moment. But, if you would care to call back at a more convenient time..." He trailed off, hanging up the phone and handing it back to Henry with a flourish. "That should do the trick," he ventured, flopping down onto the opposite side of the bench.

"Yep."

"Are you sure this will work?" Hook said glancing across at Henry.

Henry nodded. "Oh yeah. No way my Mom doesn't have a tracking device in my phone. She's probably halfway here already."

Hook studied the young boy, impressed. "Well done, lad."

"Yeah, you might not say that when she gets here." Henry grinned up at him.

Hook smiled back. "I fear not."

...

"_You_! Get away from my kid!" Emma yelled at Hook as she sprinted around the corner into the clearing, eyes searching for Henry.

She let out a long sigh of relief when she saw him, huddled up on a bench, his backpack laid neatly across his lap. Emma had followed the device she had put in Henry's phone months ago; the tiny red dot hadn't moved from its position the entire ride here and she had been worried that the phone had been ditched. She let the last sharp edge of panic, that had been a constant ever since Mrs. Q's phone call, fall away.

"Mom's here," Henry supplied helpfully, smiling at Hook.

"Yes, I see that." Hook rolled his eyes and patted the young boy's shoulder as he moved to stand.

"Hey! Don't you touch him." Emma growled low in her throat and started forward. "I said, get away from him."

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that. Not yet." Hook took a step directly in front of Henry. "I need you to listen to me."

Emma stopped walking, planting her feet firmly on the ground. If this guy gave an opening to take him down, she wanted to be ready. "If you touch one hair on his head, I swear it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Hook held up his hands. "I would never harm the lad, Swan."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me if I don't feel like trusting you right now."

"I just need you to listen to me. Hear me out...fully, and then I won't bother you again."

Emma scoffed. "Somehow I doubt that."

"You have a destiny. You have to fulfil it." Hook pressed. Their time was limited, if he couldn't get her to believe soon then he would have to take more drastic action.

"The only destiny I have...is with a bacon double cheeseburger and a cold beer later on tonight. And newsflash, guyliner...you're not involved!"

Hook laughed at that. God, he had missed her. "You wound me, Swan. I thought we were past the petty insults."

"Oh..I haven't even started yet." Emma glowered at him. "You took my son. Believe me, I _intend_ to wound you."

"The boy came willingly." Hook pointed out evenly.

"The boy...is just that, a boy." Emma spat, her patience wearing thin.

"Hey! Mom I know you're mad..." Henry began, standing up next to Hook.

"Oh...you have _no_ idea." Emma interrupted gruffly, her hands coming to rest on her hips.

"...but you need to listen to what he has to say." Henry finished, trying to keep his Mom's attention on him. If she got a chance to go for Hook she would take it, and then 'Operation Enchanted Forest' would be for nothing.

"What he has to say? More crap about my parents _needing_ me?" Emma scoffed, her fingers tightening into fists on her waist, the nails biting painfully into her palms. "About destiny? Henry, come on, seriously?"

"It's all true, Swan," Hook offered.

"So where are they then?! My long lost parents, where the hell are they?" Emma bit out, throwing up her hands. She was so sick of this already. All she wanted was to grab her son and get the hell out of there.

Hook and Henry shared a look, knowing that this was it; this was where they would lose her. Henry might take after his mother in lots of ways, but this was where they differed. Emma was nothing if not practical. The world was just as it seemed, no more, no less. There was no magic...no fairytales. You got the hand you were dealt and you made the best of it. It would take a hell of a lot more than a guy dressed up telling a tall tale to make her believe different.

Nevertheless, Hook had to try.

"They're back in the Enchanted Forest. They are fighting a war against a powerful enemy. I was given an opportunity to travel to this world, to find you, and I took it," he said honestly, willing her to believe him.

"Oh God! Well that's just great...why didn't you say so!" Emma laughed sarcastically. "The Enchanted Forest, you say? Please tell me we're talking Disneyland here?"

"Mom.."

"Henry, come here, okay?" Emma cut Henry off, motioning for him to join her, her eyes never leaving Hook. "We need to leave. Now!"

Hook wrapped his arm around Henry's shoulders, tucking him into his side. "Oh, Swan. I really didn't want it to be like this." He reached slowly into his pocket, his fingers curling around the small cool vial inside.

"Hey!" Emma stepped forward once more, her hand outstretched. "Alright, take it easy. Don't do anything stupid, okay."

"You will never believe until you _see_...so I'm going to show you." Hook pulled his hand free and threw the vial onto the floor, smashing it completely and releasing a swirl of green smoke between them.

The vortex grew in size, spiraling outwards and spinning at a dizzying speed.

Emma sprang back, landing painfully on her back a few feet away. "What the hell?!" She cried out as she sat up, her voice barely lifting above the roar of noise coming from the vortex. Emma looked across the chasm to Hook and Henry, still stood on the other side. "What the _hell_ is that?" she screamed.

"It's the way home." Hook shouted, his smile wide.

"It's real!" Henry shook his head. "It's really true," he laughed, his eyes never wavering from the vortex.

"That it is." Hook replied loudly. He pulled Henry even closer to him, leaning down to speak directly into his ear. "Hold on tight, lad!"

"Henry!" Emma called frantically, scrambling quickly to her feet as she saw Hook take a step closer to the whirlpool. "Hey!"

"Coming, Swan?" Hook shouted over the precipice, holding her gaze with a grin as he and Henry leapt, feet first into the swirling opening.

"Henry!" Emma screamed wildly, her voice hoarse. "No! _Henry_!"

The vortex started to lose momentum, the outer edge shrinking back steadily, getting smaller and smaller with every second that passed.

Emma didn't even think about it. She took a few steps back, blew out a few quick breaths to gather her nerve, and then sprinted forward, leaping right into the center of the whirlpool.

She closed her eyes midair, as she felt the strong wind pull her impossibly downwards. Only one thought on her mind.

To get to her son.


	3. Chapter 3

**These characters don't belong to me. Just playing with them.**

**A/N A big thank you to Erin and Gilda once again for their awesome Beta work on this chapter! Any mistakes left in are all my own. **

**Chapter 3**

"Well, that was a waste of time," Regina huffed with distaste, letting the dilapidated wooden door she had just walked through swing free with a disdainful flick of her wrist.

"Regina!" Snow followed behind her, just barely catching the door before it hit her in the face. "Wait!"

"Yes?" Regina stopped a few feet away from the small tavern on the road and waited for the disgruntled woman to catch up. They had spent the morning re-questioning the last people to see Hook before his disappearance and they were getting nowhere. He really had just vanished. Regina was frustrated beyond belief and it wasn't something that sat well with her at all.

"What did you think you were doing?" Snow asked between clenched teeth when she reached Regina's shoulder.

"I was leaving, dear," Regina answered with a patronizing smile. "It's what people do when they have concluded their business." She turned away with an exaggerated swirl of her cloak. "Are you coming, or do you feel the need to stay and be at one with the peasants a little more?" she called back over her shoulder.

Snow hurried to catch up, stepping in front of Regina and halting her in her tracks, pointedly ignoring the flash of annoyance in the taller woman's eyes.

Regina still had dark circles underneath her eyes, Snow noted with regret. She had hoped, deep down, that the tired, haunted look she had seen the day before had been an anomaly; that the older woman had simply had _one_ bad night. She knew now that it wasn't the case. Regina wasn't sleeping.

"I meant what did you think you were doing back there? That isn't how we do things, Regina, you know that," Snow said as calmly as she could. The day had been tense enough between them as it was, but Regina's behavior couldn't continue to go unquestioned.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I thought we were here on a matter of great importance, where time was of the essence?" Regina's tone was unapologetic. "Was I not polite enough for you, Snow?"

"You held him over that well by his feet, Regina!" Snow cried out in exasperation, her concern for Regina rapidly disappearing by the second.

"He was being uncooperative," Regina reasoned, sidestepping Snow and setting off out of the small, isolated village.

"He didn't know anything!" Snow grumbled, once again having to hurry to keep up with the other brunette.

"And how were we to be sure of that, hmm? Because you asked him _nicely_?" Regina scoffed, already tiring of this conversation. "Because tavern owners are so well known for their good deeds throughout the kingdom? Please...you know as well as I do, Snow, sometimes you have to be a little more _persuasive_ to get what you need."

This was one of the main reasons why she made an effort to avoid spending large amounts of time in Snow's company; they were simply too different. They always had been.

"And? Did we get what we needed, Regina?" Snow countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did your _persuasion_ help us in any way, other than to be certain we can never go back there without him spitting in our food?"

Regina lifted one shoulder and pulled unnecessarily at the fingers of her deep red gloves as she walked. "He didn't know anything," she answered casually, perversely enjoying the visible tick in Snow's jaw. She may not have many pleasures these days, but getting a rise out of her former nemesis still never failed to give her a thrill.

"I know!" Snow cried, barely resisting the urge to stamp her foot when Regina held up a hand in front of her face.

"_Stop_!"

Regina came to a standstill by a small, partially hidden trail into the woods.

"No, I won't stop, Regina. We have to talk about this. You can't go around..."

"Oh for God's sake." Regina rolled her eyes and pointed to the trail. "I meant, stop, we need to go this way."

"Oh, well..." Snow stammered clumsily before she quickly regained her composure. "...fine. But we're _not_ done talking about this." She straightened her shoulders and turned away with a huff.

"Of course we aren't." Regina muttered under her breath, pushing the overgrown ferns out of her way with disdain and following after the other woman.

...

Emma was pretty sure she was dead.

Or something close to it anyway.

It would definitely explain why she was lying on her back, staring up into a thick canopy of high-reaching trees, trying to figure out where the hell she was...and what had happened.

A tumble of images flashed vividly through her head.

The crazy pirate guy at her apartment...a swirling vortex of green smoke...watching Henry disappear into it.

_'Oh God...Henry!'_

Emma rolled onto her side and carefully pushed herself up onto her feet, quickly reaching out to grasp for the nearest tree when her vision swam violently. Nausea pulled heavily at her gut as the movement sent a wave of pain careening through her torso.

"Henry!" she called out frantically, doubling over as soon as the name left her lips and she clutched painfully at her ribs. "_Fuck_!" she hissed through her teeth, falling clumsily back to her knees. "Fucking fuck!"

Okay, maybe she had underestimated the damage she had done to herself. Emma gingerly eased herself down onto ground, slumping with her back against the rough bark of the tree, taking quick, shallow breaths until the pain subsided. She waited for the first sharp flush of pain to dull pinpoints of discomfort before she did a mental sweep of her injuries. Her ribs had definitely taken a beating down her left side, the back of her head was throbbing like a son of a bitch...and there were more than a few tears in the fabric of her jeans that were probably accompanied by corresponding scrapes. If she had to, she would guess that she had fallen from a not insignificant height.

"Henry!" She called out, as loud as she dare, her eyes carefully scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of movement. "Henry! Can you hear me?"

Emma's stomach clenched when there was no reply. Where the hell was he? Had she waited too long before she jumped into the portal? Were they even in the same place?

_'Oh God!'_

No! She had to keep it together; she had to find Henry. She swallowed thickly at the thought of her son out here alone somewhere. Maybe he was hurt. She had to get to him.

"Henry!"

Emma fought the rising panic that bubbled bitterly in her throat when all that answered her was the distant sound of birds. The rest of the forest was eerily still.

No sign of Henry...or Hook.

Emma was going to kill the pirate the second she saw him, she decided from her position against the tree. She was going to beat him to death with his own fake hand, and smile every second while she did it.

Well, at least she had a plan now, she thought groggily, the knot on the back of her head making it harder and harder to think straight.

Find Henry, kill Hook, get back home. Simple, but effective. Just the way she liked it.

She just needed a few minutes to get her strength back, she told herself, slumping back against the tree trunk.

Just a few more minutes.

...

"What are we doing out here, Regina?" Snow called tiredly over her shoulder.

They had been trekking through the forest for over an hour now, all the while getting closer and closer to the border of their kingdom. Snow was beginning to think Regina was dragging her all the way out here as punishment for questioning her methods of interrogation earlier.

Regina eyed the back of Snow's head with scorn, answering reluctantly after a few seconds, "We are here, because when I saw the trail I _felt_ something. I'm afraid I can't offer you more than that." Regina snapped, grinding her teeth together until they hurt as she picked her way carefully over a fallen log. "You know, for someone whose life choices are built solely around her _feelings_, you seem remarkably comfortable questioning mine!"

Instead of replying Snow stopped abruptly, pointing to the forest floor. "This 'something' you felt," she said in quiet awe, her hand hanging limply in the air. "Was it something like that?"

Regina moved to stand at Snow's side, taking in the scene before them. A large swath of undergrowth had been flattened; swept uniformly in a circle around an epicenter of ground that was completely devoid of life. Nothing but barren earth.

Snow moved closer, crouching down and sweeping her hand over the broken stems of a fern. "I don't know of anything that could make markings like these."

"I do," Regina replied, mimicking Snow's movements, feeling the faint echo of magic tingle in her palm. "Someone opened a portal here."

"_What_?" Snow's wide eyes snapped up to meet Regina's. "But...how is that even possible?"

"I don't know," Regina murmured, snatching her hand back in frustration. "Whatever happened here...it was powerful."

"Regina," Snow began shakily, apprehension etched across her features. "If it was Hook...you _know_ where he went."

"Yes," Regina answered, dark eyes flashing dangerously as she rose to her feet. "And for his sake he better have stayed there."

...

Emma blew out a short breath, steeling herself for the throb of pain she expected when she moved again. She could make out small patches of slate gray sky, just barely visible through the thick trees and she didn't want to still be sitting here if the weather took a turn for the worse. That would make it even harder to find Henry; she needed a trail to follow.

She scooted forward, slowly climbing to her feet, using the trunk for support.

"Goddamn fucking...fuck!" Emma swore loudly, slapping her hand lightly against the bark when the pain came, even more intense than before.

"Now what did that poor tree ever do to you?"

Emma jumped, swinging around quickly towards the voice and instantly regretting it as a blinding spear of agony shot out across her midsection. Sweat gathered at her hairline as her skin flushed red. She stumbled to one side, swinging one arm fully around the thick column of the tree and letting it take most of her weight.

"_Jesus_!" she panted after a moment, looking up at the man sitting casually up a tree not ten feet from her, his legs swinging lazily back and forth.

Emma scanned her eyes over him quickly, assessing the threat. She took in the soft, brown leather tunic, the rough cut of the dark green cloak clipped over his shoulders and the carefully trimmed beard. More importantly, the full quiver of arrows strapped diagonally across his back and the bow laid over his lap. Not that she was in any fit state to defend herself at the moment, she realized with alarm, her arms still resting on the trunk until she felt sure her legs wouldn't buckle beneath her.

"Guess it's fancy dress day everywhere today," she muttered, gingerly pushing herself up to her full height. She might not be at her best, but this guy didn't know that, and she wasn't going to give him any reason to see her as easy prey.

Robin Hood regarded the blonde thoughtfully. When word had come that Hook was missing, he and his merry men had stepped up their patrols in this part of the forest in the effort to find some answers. But there had been nothing, for days...until now. He wasn't sure how this oddly dressed stranger fitted into the story yet, but what he did know, was that 'She' had spies all over the realm, and until this war was over, anyone they didn't know would be viewed as a potential threat.

Robin dropped effortlessly from his perch, landing easily a few feet from Emma. He stood his bow up lengthways and leaned his weight against it, offering her an easy smile.

"Can I ask your name, Miss?"

"What's it to you?" Emma hedged carefully, unwilling to offer up any more information that she had to.

"Let's call it curiosity," he said lightly. If he had heard the edge in her voice he showed no sign of it. "After all, it's not every day you find a beautiful woman wandering alone in these woods."

Emma stiffened warily at the words. "Well I guess today's your lucky day," she muttered with a frown.

"So it would seem." Robin smiled graciously, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Although it strikes me as strange that you _would_ be out here all alone. These are, after all, dangerous times."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Yeah well, I can take care of myself."

Robin held up his hands and inclined his head. "Of that I have no doubt."

"Right. So...if you'll excuse me, I kinda have somewhere to be." Emma took half a step to the side, hooking her thumb over her shoulder.

"I'm afraid that I can't let you do that." Robin reached swiftly for his bow, nocking the arrow and drawing it back before Emma even realized what was happening. "I think you need to come with me."

"Whoa! Hey, watch where you're pointing that thing, okay, Robin Hood?" Emma flinched backwards, one hand coming up in defense and the other braced across her damaged ribs. "I'm not going anywhere with you. _God_! What is it with guys dressed like a renaissance fair trying to force me to go with them?!"

The outlaw's eyes narrowed immediately as he inched the bow back even further, his aim never faltering from her head. "How do you know my name?" he said lowly, all traces of humor gone from his lips.

"What?" Emma blinked at him, searching for any signs of deception. When she found nothing she let her head fall back awkwardly against the tree trunk with a dull thud. "Aww c'mon, really? Are you _serious_?!"

Robin nodded swiftly towards the arrow flexed tightly in his bow. "It seems that I am _deadly_ serious."

Emma let out a laugh then, ignoring the look of puzzlement he sent her way. "Yeah okay...why not? I mean...I might as well go totally fucking crazy. No point doing something halfway, right?"

She inhaled quickly, careful not to jostle her ribs too much as she continued to giggle. "So yeah...I just jumped through a green, swirly portal thingy because a _pirate_ told me to and then he _took_ my son, who I can't find..." Emma took another breath. "...and now you're Robin Hood. Of course!"

Robin released the tension in his bow slightly. "A pirate?"

"I know, right?" Emma halfheartedly threw up a hand as the laughter subsided. "A fucking pirate!"

"Did this 'pirate', have a name?"

Emma frowned, all but spitting out the name like a curse. "Killian. He said his name was Killian."

"And your name, Miss?" Robin asked again, even though he had a pretty good idea now who the feisty blonde was in front of him, but he needed to be sure.

"Emma," she sighed, suddenly very tired. "Emma Swan."

It was getting harder and harder for her to get a full breath of air and she was starting to worry that there were more than a few bruised ribs to blame. She couldn't afford to be out of action. She _had_ to find Henry.

Robin lowered the weapon completely, his eyes watching her carefully as Emma sucked in another long, ragged breath. "You're hurt."

Emma nodded briefly, biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out as another wave of pain rolled over her. "Pretty sure I've broken a rib or two."

She watched as Robin shouldered his bow, turning away from her and cupping both hands to his lips to let out three sharp calls; and then he was by her side, wrapping his arms around her and gently easing her down to the floor.

"Help is coming," he said quietly, tugging his cloak free from his shoulders and rolling it up to fit behind Emma's head, protecting it from the sharp bark.

Emma lifted a hand to her forehead, noting the clammy sweat that had broken out there. "I..have to find my son."

"Henry." Robin nodded, smiling when Emma's eyes flew open with a gasp.

"How...how did you...?"

"Whoa...easy there," Robin laid his hand gently over Emma's in her lap, mindful of her ribs. "There's a lot we need to talk about, Emma, and we will do all we can to help you find your son...I give you my word, but right now you have to rest."

Emma could barely even nod in reply, no longer able to fight the lethargy pulling her downwards.

The last thing she heard was the distant sound of voices approaching before the world went black.


End file.
